Parks & Open Space Hosts Open House
April 6 – Draft Rabbit
Mountain Elk Management Plan
Boulder County Staff seeks public comment on
limited hunting at Rabbit Mountain Open Space
Boulder County, Colo. -
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Staff will host an open house on Thursday, April 6
to present—and take public comment on—the draft Rabbit Mountain Elk Management
Plan:[masked].
What: Open House
When: Thursday, April 6 from 5:30 – 7:30
p.m.
Where: Parks & Open Space building, 5201 St. Vrain
Road, LongmontThe staff presentation will begin at
6 p.m.The plan is
available for review on
www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/elkmanagement<
http://www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/elkmanagement>.
Public comment can be submitted at the open house and online anytime now through
April 26.
Additional opportunities for public comment will be available at the Parks &
Open Space Advisory Committee meeting on
April 27 and at a Board of County Commissioners
hearing to be scheduled in May or June.
The Rabbit Mountain elk
population has grown exponentially in the past several years. It appears the elk
have learned to avoid hunters by not migrating, and instead staying on or around
Rabbit Mountain year-round and taking advantage of neighboring agricultural
fields.
Because this elk herd has stopped migrating, they are reproducing
more rapidly and causing extensive damage to the highly diverse native plants
and wildlife habitat of Rabbit Mountain. According to a Colorado Natural
Heritage Program 2009 Report, Rabbit Mountain is one of only two foothills areas
rated B1: Outstanding Biodiversity Significance. Rabbit Mountain and Red Hill
south of the Town of Lyons are the only areas in Boulder County rated B1, where
foothill shrublands contribute significantly to the vegetation mosaic on the
landscape.
In addition, the elk have caused substantial and increasing
damage to neighboring residential fences, landscaping, and agricultural
crops.
After careful consideration of many options and techniques in
consultation with Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Parks & Open Space staff
believes it is imperative to re-establish seasonal migration in this elk
herd.
Staff experts believe the most appropriate method to achieve this
goal is by allowing limited hunting on county-owned Rabbit Mountain Open Space
as part of the state’s existing subunit surrounding the open space property
during the state’s regulated hunting season.
If approved, hunting would
be combined with other efforts that address the resource and private land damage
concerns. These may include limited fencing, hazing, possible alternative crops,
and other efforts to restore damaged habitats.
To review the draft plan
and submit public comment, please go to
www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/elkmanagement<
http://www.BoulderCountyOpenSpace.org/elkmanagement>.
For
more information, contact Therese Glowacki, Resource Management Division
Manager, at
[address removed]<
mailto:tglowacki@bouldercounty.org>, or [masked].